Fig 1.
Identification of the RBITC-labeled chitosan.
(A) Scheme of synthesis of the RBITC-labeled chitosan. (B) FTIR spectra of the unlabeled and RBITC-labeled chitosan.
Fig 2.
Characterization of unlabeled and RBITC-labeled TmCS-NPs.
(A) Particle size, PDI, and zeta potential of the unlabeled and RBITC-labeled TmCS-NPs. (B) TEM analysis of the TmCS-NPs. (C) Particle size graphs of TmCS-NPs and RBITC-labeled TmCS-NPs. (D) Zeta potential graphs of TmCS-NPs and RBITC-labeled TmCS-NPs.
Fig 3.
(A) Ex-vivo fluorescence images of the brains with RBITC-labeled TmCS-NPs after systemic injection at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, and 24 h. (B) Fluorescence photographs of the sub-brain regions separated from the brains above at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, and 24 h.
Fig 4.
Changes in the GSH, H2O2, and MDA levels in the frontal cortex and cerebellum of rats (n = 6, six rats per group) intravenously injected with physiological saline (control) and TmCS-NPs (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) for 7 d.
(A, B, and C) GSH, H2O2, and MDA levels in the frontal cortex, respectively; (D, E, and F) GSH, H2O2, and MDA levels in the cerebellum, respectively. *p < 0.05 when compared with the control group.
Fig 5.
Body weight changes in rats (n = 6, six rats per group) intravenously injected with physiological saline (control) and TmCS-NPs (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) for 7 d.
*p < 0.05 when compared with the control group. #p < 0.01 when compared with the control group.
Fig 6.
Histopathology of the rat brain tissue after intravenous injection with physiological saline (control) and TmCS-NPs (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) for 7 d.
(A) Frontal cortex region; (B) Frontal cortex region of the middle-dose group. (C) Cerebellum region.
Fig 7.
Immunohistological staining of the GFAP and NeuN of the rat brain tissue after intravenous injection with physiological saline (control) and TmCS-NPs (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) for 7 d.
(A) GFAP expression in the frontal cortex region; (A’) Semi-quantification analysis of the GFAP expression in the frontal cortex. (B) GFAP expression in the cerebellum region; (B’) Semi-quantification analysis of the GFAP expression in the cerebellum. (C) NeuN expression in the frontal cortex region; and (D) NeuN expression in the cerebellum region. *p < 0.05 when compared with the control group, #p < 0.01 when compared with the control group.